Catalyst

In a world of big government and big business, individuals can still make a difference – especially when their fight sparks the media's interest and the survival instincts of politicians. In this compelling book, eleven stories from across Australia show how one person can be a catalyst for change. A Victorian mother overturns a law preventing her family receiving compensation for her asbestos-related disease. A South Australian grandmother campaigns for tougher break-and-enter laws after a spate of home invasions. A Queensland father inspires new legislation for victims of crime. These accounts chronicle individual's triumphs against outdated state legislation. For this powerful and engaging analysis, radio broadcaster and newspaper columnist Madonna King has interviewed more than 130 people – from state premiers and attorneys-general to Supreme Court judges and lawyers, from journalists and criminals to academics and social workers. But it is the brave and often untold stories of ordinary Australians that have inspired this book.